Singapore has received an invitation from the United States (US) to join the newly announced Board of Peace, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Tuesday (20 Jan).
“The Singapore Government has received an invitation from the US to join the Board of Peace and is currently assessing the invitation,” the MFA said in a news release.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs website
No further details were provided on Singapore’s position, nor was a timeline given for when a decision might be made.
The Board of Peace was announced last week by US President Donald Trump as part of his 20-point plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas.
The body is intended to oversee transitional governance in Gaza following a ceasefire.
Trump, who will serve as the board’s inaugural chairman, has described the board as “the Greatest and Most Prestigious Board ever assembled at any time, any place”.
Source: Donald J. Trump on Facebook
Russia has confirmed that President Vladimir Putin has been invited to join the board.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Putin is reviewing the invitation and hopes to speak with US officials to clarify details, Kyiv Post reported.
Source: Harp for Congress on Facebook
Trump has also reportedly invited Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Moscow, to join the board.
Invitations to join the board have reportedly been sent to around 60 world leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as well as countries such as the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, Argentina, Egypt, Albania, India, and Turkey.
So far, Hungary, Kazakhstan, and Vietnam have confirmed their participation, Politico reported.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán described the invitation as an “honourable” one.
Source: Miniszterelnöki Kommunikációs Fõosztály/Kaiser Ákos for MTI
In Poland, officials confirmed that an invitation had been received, but expressed unease over Putin’s inclusion, noting that he is “at odds” with the Polish president.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X on Tuesday (20 Jan) that parliamentary approval would be required, adding: “We will not allow anyone to outmanoeuvre us.”
Source: @donaldtusk on X
A United Nations (UN) analyst at the International Crisis Group has warned that the board could become a rival to the UN, ABC Australia reported.
According to a draft charter cited by the Kyiv Post, board membership terms may last up to three years, unless a country contributes at least US$1 billion, a sum that would secure a permanent seat.
Each member state would hold one vote, but all decisions would require approval from the chairman.
Politico also reported that the board’s executive committee could include high-profile figures such as former UK prime minister Tony Blair, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and World Bank president Ajay Banga.
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Featured image adapted from Vivian Balakrishnan on Facebook and MDDI via Lawrence Wong on Facebook.